Immunizations | dcboenurse

ALABAMA IMMUNIZATION LAW

RULES OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH

CHAPTER 420-6-1

IMMUNIZATION OF CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS AND CONGREGATED CARE SETTINGS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

420-6-1-.01 Authority

420-6-1-.02 General Provisions

420-6-1-.03 Immunization Schedule

420-6-1-.04 Vaccine Shortages

420-6-1-.01 Authority. This regulation is promulgated by the State Health Officer and approved by the State Board of Health pursuant to Code of Alabama, 1975, § 16-30-5 and is made applicable to children in child care centers/homes under the authority of Code of Ala, 1975 § 38-7-1, et seq. and Alabama Administrative Code, Chapters 660-5-25 and 660-5-26 and 660-5-27.

Authority: Code of Alabama, § 16-30-5, et seq.

Author: Donald E. Williamson, M.D., Charles H. Woernle, M.D., M.P.H.

History: October 1, 1982

Amended: Filed September 17, 2009, Effective October 23, 2009.

420-6-1-.02 General Provisions.

(1) The board of education and the governing authority of each private school shall require each pupil, prior to entering Kindergarten or first grade or prior to re-entering the higher grades of the schools of Alabama, to present a Certificate of Immunization for the prevention of diseases listed in 420-6-1-.03 (Code of Alabama, 1975, § 16-30-4.). The Certificate of Immunization will be on a form approved by the Alabama Department of Public Health.

(2) The Department of Human Resources has required each child two months of age or older attending any child care center/home to present a Certificate of Immunization for the prevention of diseases listed in 420-6-1-.03.

(3) Such certificate shall be on the form approved by the Alabama Department of Public Health and shall be made a part of the pupil's school/child's child care center/home record. When a student/child leaves a school/child care center/home upon graduation, transfer, relocation or otherwise; the school or child care center/home may return the original certificate to the student's/child's parents/guardians and retain a legible copy in the institution's record.

(4) A written objection from the parent or guardian of a student or child based on religious tenets and practices shall be submitted in person by the parent or guardian to the County Health Department for issuance of a Certificate of Religious Exemption from the required immunizations or testing. A licensed physician can provide individual exemption from the required immunizations or testing on a Certificate of Medical Exemption. The Certificate of Religious Exemption and the Certificate of Medical Exemption will be on forms approved by the Alabama Department of Public Health and will be accepted in lieu of the Certificate of Immunization.

Authority: Code of Alabama, 1975, § 16-30-5, et seq.

Author: Donald E. Williamson, M.D.; Charles H. Woernle, M.D., M.P.H.

History: October 1, 1982; Amendment June 11, 1993; Amended: Filed 1/17/97, Effective 2/21/97.

Amended: Filed September 17, 2009, Effective October 23, 2009.

420-6-1-.03 Immunization Schedule.

(1) Unless otherwise noted in paragraphs (2) and (3) below, vaccine doses should be administered according to the most recent version of the Recommended Immunization Schedules for Persons Aged 0 Through 18 Years, as published by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Vaccine doses administered ≤4 days before the minimum interval or age should be counted as valid. Doses administered ≥5 days earlier than the minimum interval or age should not be counted as valid doses and should be repeated as age-appropriate.

(2) Except as provided in Chapter 420-6-1-.02 and in the Code of Alabama, 1975, § 16-30-4, each pupil, prior to entering Alabama school grade kindergarten through twelfth grade shall receive age-appropriate immunizations as below:

(a) 5 doses of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP). Only 4 doses are needed if the fourth dose was administered on or after the fourth birthday. Booster doses of tetanus and diphtheria toxoids vaccine (Td) must be given 5-10 years after the preschool booster. However, effective for students entering sixth grade beginning fall of 2010, a booster dose of tetanus and diphtheria toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) must be given at 11 or 12 years of age. This requirement will escalate by one successive grade each year for the following 6 years to include sixth through twelfth grades, beginning fall of 2016.

(b) 4 doses of inactivated polio vaccine. Only 3 doses are needed if the third dose was administered on or after the fourth birthday.

(d) 2 doses of measles-containing vaccine.

(e) varicella vaccine subject to the following schedule unless there is documentation of a positive varicella titer or a date of varicella disease. This requirement is effective for students entering kindergarten beginning fall of 2001 and will escalate by one successive grade each year for the following 12 years to include all grades, kindergarten through twelfth, beginning fall of 2013:

(i) 1 dose of varicella vaccine at 12 months of age or older for persons less than 13 years of age;

(ii) 2 doses of varicella vaccine separated by at least 28 days for persons 13 years of age or older beginning the vaccination series.

(3) Children entering any child care center/home shall, in addition to the vaccines listed above, also receive age-appropriate immunizations for:

(a) Haemophilus influenzae type b; and

(b) Pneumococcal disease using pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

Authority: Code of Alabama, 1975, § 16-30-5, et seq

Author: Donald E. Williamson, M.D., Charles H. Woernle, M.D., M.P.H.

History: Filed May 19, 1989; Amended: Filed July 20, 1990; December 19, 1990. Emergency

Amendment Filed: March 20, 1992. Permanent Amendment Filed: July 22, 1992.

Amended: Filed January 17, 1997, Effective February 21, 1997.

Amended: Filed July 19, 2000, Effective September 3, 2000.

Amended: Filed September 20, 2002, Effective December 25, 2002.

Amended: Filed October 21, 2005, Effective November 25, 2005.

Amended: Filed September 17, 2009, Effective October 23, 2009.

420-6-1-.04 Vaccine Shortages

When the State Health Officer determines that there is a vaccine shortage of one or more vaccines whether statewide or localized, affecting the ability of the health care system to assure that all children have access to age-appropriate immunizations required for school entrance by Alabama Administrative Code, Chapter 420-6-1-.03, the State Health Officer may notify affected health care providers about the supply shortage(s) and authorize such providers to validate a certificate of immunization despite one or more indicated, age-appropriate vaccinations not being administered because of vaccine shortage. Such validation will be accomplished by the provider affixing a department-supplied sticker to the individual child's certificate to indicate a new expiration date, not to exceed one year from the current date or the end of the school term for which the certificate is due, whichever shall be later.

Authority: Code of Alabama, 1975, Section 16-30-5, et seq.

Author: Charles H. Woernle, M.D., M.P.H.

History: March 20, 2002. Effective June 18, 2002

Recommended Immunization Schedule